1/16 RC M-113A1 ACAV - Converting the Takom/Andy's HHQ kit to RC

[lmcq11]

Rough elbow gap part is superglued and let to dry a bit.

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Rough shoulder gap part is ready.

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Superglued in place.

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Then the fine tuning with a knife can be done, using superglue as filler and then sanded smooth. It is usually difficult to complete this in one step. Usually, i do the best i can, and then i revisit the following day with a cooler head and do more refinements.

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I purchased a bunch of Jason Studio boxes to go inside the vehicle. The gunner will be using them as a raised platform for observation, keeping the M-60 at the ready to open up on the VC. The gunner will be given some accessories, including a pistol.

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I did some mods to the neck in order to face forward and with the head a bit higher.

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This is the ACAV commander's turret. No issue to report. The two arms and hands of the commander are made to squeeze and lock on the machine gun handles when assembled with the torso. So, one of the arm can only be positioned at the total end of the build in order to keep flexibility.

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Continuing on following post

[lmcq11]

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The periscope covers can be raised or lowered.

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I reworked the M-60 of the infantry gunner in order to be consistent with the ACAV M-60 next to it. The bipod was redone and i gave him a scratch built carrying handle and sight.

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As the troop are about to open up on the VC, it made no sense to have this gunner saluting a friend on the road. So, i modified his left hand so that it rests on the M-60 instead. The hand was modified using the microwave again.

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Yes, he needs a helmet.

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I have ordered Jason Studio helmets. It will be consistent with the others.

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The model as it stands today.

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Regards, Louis

[Herr Dr. Professor]

It isn't fair of me to make suggestions on figures so much more effectively done than I have ever accomplished. But the the shout of "contact" and the evidence throughout this thread of your superb skills make me furtively suggest...

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[Pavel]

This part of the butt plate is the most stupid, it is very inconvenient to shoot, even though it was made precisely for convenience......

[Pavel]

The owner of Browning, you need to put your thumbs on the “butterfly” - this is the trigger....

[lmcq11]

Thank you Doc and Pavel, i will look into it.


As i side note, i was curious and posed the two Jason Studio airborne infantry on the back of my old 1/18 Ultimate Soldier pre-assembled UH-1C. The figures are small and fit right at home. I bet the M-113 driver can easily be converted into a Huey pilot to replace the action figure. The 1/18 UH-1B/C has been reissued as a model kit by Trumpeter. It would make a nice project.

It's time for Andy to give us a 1/16 UH-1H...

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[Herr Dr. Professor]

Oh, those do go well in the Huey! You have, of course, just indicated your next project: a pilot and figures for the open door.

[Pavel]

I like the "shorty"!!!!!

[lmcq11]

Hi everyone,

This is the last step of the construction phase. I am going through a few loose ends and preparing the model for the painting phase.

You must have noticed that i am never following the instructions steps. For some reason that escape me, the kit designers are always having the modeller install everything in sequential steps, disregarding the need to keep things separate to facilitate their painting. I made my own steps for the RC conversion and i am keeping a lot of parts and modules separate from the hull until they are fully painted. This basic rule has never been more true than with this model.


With the M-113, there are about 120 tie downs to install, i have not counted them officially. I am really glad that Takom provided them because making them with brass rods is really a pain. However, it seems Takom did not provide any spares.

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Separating these tiny tie downs from the sprues, cleaning them up under both ends for a flat surface and installing them created a 10% casualty rate. It went well with most of them, but some broke in half and some others flipped in the air when being picked up by my hobby pliers, never to be seen again.

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Thankfully, Takom provided markers where they should go. It's those shallow holes on the hull. Take note that i previously removed all the molded on wires on the left wall because i want to redo them with real wires.

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If i had known, i would have installed the tie-downs before assembling the hull because installing them at various angles complicate things. The molding line that you can see on the surface of the tie down is removed after the glue is dry and both ends of the tie down are solidly in place in order to minimize the risks that they will break.

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All the top surface tie downs and the antenna guards are installed.

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All the tools will be added after painting.

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However, the tie downs attached to the roof inside the vehicle are not put on. Primarily because i don't have any more to put, i must have lost maybe 10 to 15 during the clean up. And secondly, i have another solution for that problem.

However, checking out the situation with the tie down made me realize that there is an issue with the fuel tank. it is missing components.

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continuing on following post

[lmcq11]

I have not yet received the Jason Studio accessory kit but i noticed that it comes with crew straps and tie downs for them. The problem of the broken 12 tie downs is solved.

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This is how they should look

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Jason Studio did their homework.

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Going back to the M-113 fuel tank, there should be a set of tubing coming out at the bottom left, the whole area is non existant, completely ignored while still being highly visible from the rear ramp. As things are, the fuel has nowhere to go...

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It should look like this.

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Without spending too much time, i made an effort to repro the area, and some tubes will be connected to them after painting.

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There is also supposed to be an electrical wire coming down, with a guard plate on top.

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Looks like Takom wanted to provide it because we can see two locating pin holes for it. However, they have forgotten it at one point. There is nothing about it in the instructions or on the sprues. No big deal, i will be added after painting and installation of the tubing.

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Overview of the driver's compartment. Most of the equipment on the left wall will be installed only after painting.

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continuing on following post